My dear old Gulielmus

I have been so very sorry for your having been ill this half-year—again with the Measles: you have been most unlucky. Besides all the discomfort, all the loss of time must tell on your examination. Do not work to tire yourself; you are one of the very few Boys to whom I should dare to tell them not to overexert themselves, for most youngsters are inclined enough to spare themselves, but this has never been your case. I hope now that you will soon be quite comfortable. Thank goodness it is not now very long to the Holidays.—²

I am going up to London this evening & I shall start quite late, for I want to attend a meeting of the Columbarian Society,³ which meets at 7 oclock near London Bridge. I think I shall belong to this Soc.^y. where, I fancy, I shall meet a strange set of odd men.— M^r. Brent was a very queer little fish;⁴ but I suppose Mamma told you about him; after dinner he handed me a clay pipe, saying “here is your pipe” as if it was a matter of course that I sh^d. smoke.— Another odd little man (N.B all Pigeons Fanciers are little men, I begin to think) & he showed me a wretched little Polish Hen, which he said he would not sell for ^£50 & hoped to make ^£200 by her, as she had a black top-knot.— I am going to bring a lot more pigeons back with me on Saturday, for it is a noble & majestic pursuit, & beats moths butterflies, whatever you may say to the contrary.—

M^rs. Mackintosh comes this evening & M^r. M.⁵ on Saturday. Poor Mamma is in bed with a bad cold this morning. Be sure do you be careful of yourself, when you first get out, for a cold after Measles is a serious affair.

Georgy likes his journeys to Hayes & has just started as independently as possible.⁶ I have been doing before the visitors came some optics with him, & I have got some optical toys, but they were a bad bargain: write twice a week, till you are perfectly well.

My dearest old fellow | C. Darwin